First before the blogs thanks everyone for the messages, they really keep you going.

I have finished the long march - I have finished the long march. That's not a duplication, I just need to write it twice so I can believe.

Today it was freezing cold, boiling hot,deadline calm, 50 knots winds (which blew the tents away) clear skies and pouring rain. On top of that I saw the first tornado of my life. If I had to describe my emotions today they pretty much ran in line with the weather. At 55km it felt like the longest day of my life at 65km I was reading to arm wrestle superman.

So as usual the race started with 8km uphill, then 8km downhill in a river bed on rocks (I am in the cyber tent and Rich just came in 84th position, outstanding out of breath but as has been his practice huge smile on his face. I think if this race went on another week Rich would  move up to the top 10.)

I'll have to show the pics but they have wild camels here. (Danah I know you'll love the pic, I have also seen wild horses and a baby donkey).

From there who can guess  what came next uphill from KM 16 to KM 40 but thats were it got tough. An up and down run to check point 5 where some of the competitors will sleep tonight and that's when what felt like a hurrican hit. I was running with another South African Marco and we were goanna stop for food but no chance in the storm so we just push on. Around KM 55 though I paid for it, "THE WALL". But a bit of Woolworths biltong and some enegry GU and I was up and running again.

So long strong short I made about 10 place in the last 8.5 KM to finish 50th for the day in 12 hours give or take a minute.

I am so glad to be in camp. My feet have more blister than original foot, the plus being everyone is limping around in the same boat.

Tomorrow is a rest day to let everyone finish the long march.

And the a 15KM "sprint to the finish"

Love, thanks for the playlists I really needed it today.

Declan, we are young plays just when I need it most.

Danah, I am showing off the pic of my beautiful girl in the tent. Thanks for looking after Declan and Mom, I know how naughty they can be.

Cheers

Lee

First of thanks for all the messages everyone, they truly mean a lot.

So I told you yesterday that they said today would be difficult, if you look in the dictionary under “serious under statement” you will see the Gobi March’s description of difficult. I think if a mountain goat had entered the race, he probably would have pulled out because of the height and really crazy climbs and descents. Some of the sections I was sitting and sliding across the ridges to stop from sliding into the canyons. I took a few pics but when you’ve just climbed a rocky hill at 2,800 meters altitude it doesn’t seem so important.

The race started today from camp 3 at 2,600 meters and we climbed up to Shiptons Arch at 2,950 meters. There was actually snow on the ground and 2 days before we had been in a camp where it was 35 degrees in the tent at 10 at night. The view was way beyond what I had expected, I hope the pictures come out.  

Rich and go there in about 100 position (the climb was really steep) then we ran like crazy down and reach check point 1 in 69th.

From there it just became a never ending serious on climbs to narrow peaks and then walks along the crest of hills with sheer drops on both sides. That carried on to the 18km mark where we headed down into a river bed for……rocks…as usual from then it was a few river crossings and just some really rugged terrain.

Once again to my surprise 7:30 hours later (give or take, my watch went flat and they haven’t published final times yet) I finished in 43.

Anyway please keep the message coming.

Declan, thanks for the Linkin Park songs really make the toughest times easier.

Danah, I hope you are having a great time with BFF N0. 1.

Love, missing you lots.

Today was divided into 4 sections, the first was uphill, the second was uphill, the third was uphill and the forth......really uphill. Stage 4 climbed to 2500 meter in the mountains.

And don't forget the rocks, they say eskimos have 70 names for snow, I guess the local here have 70 names for stones. Anyway at check point 1 I was in 98th and finshed 45th for the day. I guess TODAY for some strange reason I am good at uphills, although around hour 6 I was not enjoying the hills.I definitely now have the heavist pack, Rich has dumped alot of food but I am still on track with mine. After 3 days my pack is still really heavy but c'est la vie.

Tomorrow should be fun, stage 1 is marked as difficult and 2,3,4 as very difficult with stage 2 and 3 having warnings to be VERY CAREFULL.

The only thing that broke the hills today was these little valleys that when you stood at the top they were so steep you can't belive you have to go down it.

Thanks for the notes Love I have read them lots and think about it during the run. Declan thanks for the message and looking after the girls dude. Danah I was thing I should have put a One Direction song on my playlist but shortly after they got in they played Justin Bieber in the checkin tent. Love you guys.

Blisters are holding up so far, I have a few more but the local doctors have taken good care of them.

Anyway thanks for the the messages and please keep sending.

They says there are more stars in the universe than grains of sand on all the beaches in all the world, but there are more stones in the Gobi than even that.

We started with a 5 km uphill which most people walked and then went out into the strangest landscape I've ever seen. If you have ever seens pictures of the red sand and rocks on mars, that's where we were. For the next 15km it was up and down hill after hill. Not very high but seriously steep and going down was just a controlled slide on loose shale. Was great fun.

After unknown number of little hills and dry river bed crossings we reach check point 2. (20km).

Rich and I reach in position 110.

From there we enter an 8 km stretch along a river bed and then 2 km of hills and of course stones, stones, stones.

At check point 3 I was in 86th position but had to stop and work on my feet, blisters are becoming a problem.

From Check point 3 we had a tar section which climbed back up to 2,000 meters over the next 3 km but I had to stop and work on my blisters for a while and lost about 5 places.

But after that section it was great, mostly down hill or flat sand and I managed to retake the spots I lost plus 6 more to finish 80th.

For tomorrow I guess it'll be up to the blisters.

We gain 1,500 meters from the current camp with basically no down hill, should be fun.

Thanks for all the message everyone it is great to read them.

Hi All,

I've just completed stage  1.

So first thing is I wish my wife was here, she would love it! (I guess other than the running through the worlds windiest desert and not showering.)

Stage 1 was cut down due to some of the rivers being to deep to cross so we only did 32.5 km.

I think last night I had 1 1/2 hours sleep if I was lucky and not because I was uncomfortable I just wasn't tired, first the wind was blowing dust in the tent like crazy and it was too hot to sleep, seeing as the sun only goes down at 11 pm. When the sun set the wind was blowing dust in the tent and it was freezing cold. But actually I was too excited / nervous to care.

This morning Rich and I got off to an awesome start run, the flats and down hills, walk uphill. We got to the 10km mark in 1:26, which is not bad considering we have packs that makes the other competitors look scared, everytime we mention the weight they says "no way" in 42 different accents.

The first check point of the day was at the 12 km where we turned off a dirt road and headed out into the wildress and for the rest of the day things were a little tougher.

In the Gobi the wind is very consistent, it blows one direction, IN TO YOU, as hard as possible.From 15km until the finish it was uphill into the wind.

At 20 km Rich had a meeting with Yogi bear (contact Tanya for definition) and I ran on. (I think I was stressing him).

I got to Check point 3 at the 22 km mark in position 100 so I though I have to try at least gain at least spot by the finish. In front of me was a little Japanese lady who was really tough to catch but passed her after a couple kms. Thanks to the howling wind and the uphill most people were struggling so from there I gained another 18 spots and finished in 81st. 163 in the field so just snuck in the top half.

Tomorrow I guess will be more of a test, 39km of lots of hills in red sand. The route is called "Mars on Earth".

Hopefully I'll get a little more sleep tonight, we're sleeping on the floor in some local village houses.

Missing my family. Hope they're having a great time in Singapore.